Farm & Food Studies

1 elective credit
AB or C block
Students work with the BBA kitchen staff to help prepare menus. The course offers a real-world context in which to learn key culinary skills associated with basic food preparation and food safety, how to work as a member of a team, and how to design and implement menus. Students who are interested in pursuing a career in the culinary arts or who want to build their resume directly benefit from this experience. Interested interns have the opportunity to earn ServSafe Certification.

Juniors and Seniors
1 science credit
Students in this course tackle some of the major questions in ecology and evolutionary biology: What factors influence an ecological community? How have species changed and evolved? How have humans changed the environment? What is the fate of our natural world? Using natural resources and biological communities at the Hildene farm, the course employs technology, observation and natural history to answer these questions. Students are introduced to a broad range of techniques used in the field to collect and analyze data, giving them a taste of what is required to be a field biologist. Students read essays and papers from some of the leading ecology and evolutionary biologists, develop their own experiments, and use critical thinking to process data. Fieldwork (including maintenance of a detailed field notebook), research, labs, and presentations are all important facets of this project-based class. PREREQUISITE: Successful completion of Biology, CP Biology, or the permission of the science department chair.

1 science credit
Designed for students who enjoy hands-on learning, this lab-based botany course connects botanical knowledge with human tradition. Students learn about plant ecology, anatomy, and classification while developing their skills in identification, observation, and collecting and analyzing data in the field. Botanical learning is paired with the medicinal, edible, and utilitarian uses of local plants, and students gain experience making teas, salves, decoctions, fiber, dyes, food, and more. Students also examine and reflect on the links between botanical practices and human society and culture. This class is based primarily at Burr and Burton’s Hildene farm classroom. PREREQUISITE: Successful completion of Biology, CP Biology, or CP Forest Ecology and Systems Dynamics.

Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors
1 social studies elective credit or 1 science credit
Students explore systems theory as it applies to the farm, the natural world, and the communities they are a part of. Specific areas of study include: living and nonliving systems, fundamentals of sustainable farming, and agricultural practices, including practical lessons in harvesting and preparing food. Students also explore the social, political, economic, and environmental challenges associated with developing a sustainable local food system. Students learn through visits to local farms, conversations with agricultural professionals, and participation in Burr and Burton’s farm to school initiative. This course provides students with the opportunity to explore topics through research, problem-based learning, fieldwork, and reflective writing. It is based primarily at Burr and Burton’s Hildene farm classroom. PREREQUISITE:

1 elective credit or .5 elective credit
Students interested in learning more about what it takes to be a farmer and to produce food can work on the Hildene farm. Hands-on experience may include planting, weeding, and harvesting plants in the gardens and in the greenhouse; tending to livestock; working on soil conservation and composting projects, and much more.

1 science credit
This course provides students with a foundation in the skills and understanding needed to develop and maintain a successful farm or garden. Working on site at the Hildene farm and greenhouse, students plant, weed, and harvest crops, experiment with growing techniques, and investigate soil health, nutrient cycling, and land management practices. Students explore and study the ecosystems that surround the farm. Hands-on, inquiry-based lab experiences are complemented by readings, projects, and conversations with agricultural professionals. Students have the unique experience of producing food for our local food system. NOTE: This course does not have a prerequisite, but it does not replace or fulfill the Foundations of Science requirement.